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Scenery-preservation in Tasmania. It is interesting to note that in the beautiful island State of the Commonwealth a Scenery Preservation Act was passed in 1915, its provisions being somewhat similar to those of the New Zealand statute. The Scenery Preservation Board there consists of the Surveyor-General and the Director of the Tourist Bureau (as in New Zealand), together with the Commissioner of Railways and the Engineer-in-Chief (in place of the Under-Secretary Native Department and the local Commissioner of Crown Lauds, as in New Zealand). The National Park, comprising 27,000 acres, and other similar areas are to be placed under the control of the Board, partly with a. view to ensure the future protection of the kangaroos and opossums and to prevent wanton destruction of game, whilst it is hoped that the operations of the Board wili be attended with general success for these objects and in preserving and beautifying the many scenic reserves that will come under its jurisdiction. National Parks in Canada. The annual report of the Commissioner on Dominion Parks is always interesting, and shows that every effort is being made in Canada to protect the scenery, utilize the national parks and scenic reserves to the best advantage, and enable visitors to view them under satisfactory conditions. Preservation of wild life is one of the chief objects of the Board, and it is stated that the Herds of buffalo in the parks have now increased to 1,640. It. is also interesting to quote from the report of the Director the following reasons that influenced the Government in endeavouring to enable the people to utilize the parks to the best advantage : — " In previous reports I have pointed out in detail the many conditions —unsanitary habits of life, overheated rooms, lack of fresh air, poorly arranged factories and exclusion of sunlight, foul air, drudgery, monotony, lack of play, and similar hurtful conditions —which are constantly sapping the efficiency of the people. I also pointed out that, while many agencies must work to eliminate these adverse conditions, the ideal behind national parks—ample facilities for all Canadians to enjoy recreation in the out-of-doors —if realized, would offer a powerful antidote to these conditions, a means of largely minimizing their corrosive influence. To avoid repeating in detail how parks can and do effectively serve this purpose, attention is called to a few familiar instances of what life in the out-of-doors under proper conditions does for the human being. Every one in Canada has seen for himself the transformation that has been brought about in our troops —the bright eyes, the decisive step, the healthy glow—after a few weeks of ' setting-up 'in a military cam]). For centuries tuberculosis was an all-powerful and ever-victorious enemy of the human race until a few years ago, when it was discovered that nature —life in the open air close to nature —was an effective remedy, and now the ' white plague ' is fast disappearing. National parks exist for the purpose of providing for all the people of Canada facilities for acquiring that virile and efficient manhood so noticeable in Canadian military training-camps." Appendices. Attached to this report arc the following appendices : — A. Schedule of reserves made during the year, accompanied by a statement of accounts. B. Reports of the Inspectors of Scenic Reserves. C. Report of the Scenery Preservation Board, and local Scenic Boards.